Harry Smith asks Sharon Latour, Ryan Sundberg…
McKinleyville expansion
What is your plan or vision for growth in McKinleyville? Please address economic, housing, and open space issues. Does it make sense for McKinleyville to incorporate?
— Harry Smith
Response
Sharon Latour
This is a very important question and deserves a much lengthier conversation!
In short, though, the financial realities of McKinleyville incorporation make it unwise right now. It is a very expensive idea, because independence has huge revenue ramifications we simply cannot afford right now.
And here’s where it get’s layered: Many would like McKinleyville to get more policing and other benefits we associate with being incorporated. I think some things are on the horizon to mitigate the current sense of an impersonal and very busy Central Avenue, and safety concerns in our neighborhoods with increasing petty crimes and burglaries.
When elected, I will champion the facelift of Central Avenue and enjoy seeing McKinleyville become “McKinleyvillage” with new multi-family housing that could be modeled on the “European look” with housing above shops and near local transportation, shopping and services.
Developers must be held accountable to include open spaces with access to trails and other bike/walkways in new construction. This sort of new, thoughtfully planned construction, is who we are.
I plan to lead by example as a ride-along volunteer with Sheriff patrols (I spent two years volunteering with the County Sheriff in college in Santa Barbara, two other years volunteering in juvenile probation.) and encourage a robust, village-wide Neighborhood Watch sensibility (through concrete volunteer programs) throughout the District. “This is our village” will be a statement of pride for all our citizens, wherever we might live in our amazing Humboldt County!
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